Free vs Paid Show Jumping Course Design Software (2026)
UK instructors, club designers and yard coaches usually need a free show jumping course designer that does the job: full 2D placement, live related distances, British Showjumping or FEI checks, and a plan they can print. Paid tiers should buy specific outcomes — clean PDFs, 3D/AR, higher limits, teams — not the canvas itself.
Start now: open the free designer (no card). Designing for UK club nights? See British Showjumping course design software.
This is a category buyer checklist (no competitor brand lists). Wider UK software picture: best show jumping course design software UK. Product overview: course design software.
What free must include to be useful
If free software fails any of these, you rebuild poles on the day:
- Scaled arena — metres on a plan, not a sketch photo.
- Stride / related-distance calculator on the ridden track (including combinations and bending lines).
- Rule validation for the standard you jump — typically British Showjumping and/or FEI, not only generic heights.
- Export — at least a usable PDF pack (even if watermarked): master, athlete, builder and judge roles when possible.
YardForge Free sits on that bar: full 2D designer, strides, FEI/BS/Hunter/Unaffiliated validation, watermarked multi-role PDFs, and unlimited courses forever. During alpha Pro tools (clean PDF, 3D) are unlocked free; after alpha Free keeps unlimited courses and watermarked PDFs while clean exports and 3D return to Pro. Planning aid only — not official FEI or British Showjumping software.
Free is enough when…
- You design for Pony Club, riding club or home schooling nights
- Watermarked PDFs are fine for internal builders and pupils
- You need unlimited saved courses without a storage wall
- You walk the course on foot rather than demo it in 3D for clients
Related: course design for Pony Club and riding clubs · how to design a show jumping course · UK course design guide.
Paid (or higher tier) is worth it when…
| Need | Why free often stops here |
|---|---|
| Clean / unbranded PDFs | Officials and external contractors want logo-free master and judge packs |
| 3D walk-through | Clients and riders preview lines before the build |
| AR in a real arena | Place the track at full scale on a supported phone before poles move |
| High course volume | Free already stores unlimited layouts — pay for clean export / 3D, not storage |
| Teams / multi-user | Several designers share inventory and venues |
On YardForge those map to Pro (clean PDF, 3D, materials) and School & Venue (team sharing). Free keeps unlimited courses forever. See pricing.
Free vs paid checklist
| Check | Free path | Paid path |
|---|---|---|
| BS + FEI live validation | Required on free if you claim “rules” | Same tables — do not pay only for warnings |
| Multi-role PDF | Watermarked OK for clubs | Clean exports for show secretaries |
| Mobile / browser | Prefer PWA at the collecting ring | Same, plus 3D/AR on device |
| Offline | Shell + local save at least | Full offline multi-device sync (rare) |
| Yard ops | Useful if designer + yard share a login | School seats if staff share accounts |
Free forever vs free trial
Not all “free” course design software is the same:
| Model | What you get | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Free forever (useful free tier) | Real designer + rules + export while free | Course caps or watermarked PDFs after promo periods |
| Free trial only | Full product for days or weeks, then paywall | You rebuild workflows when the trial ends |
| Teaser free | Draw fences but no real strides/rules/PDF | Still designing on the sand |
When you evaluate tools, ask: can I finish a club track and print a builder plan without a card after day 15? For UK clubs, prefer products that keep British Showjumping checks on free, not only FEI on a paid tier. YardForge Free is a real free designer; during alpha every Pro feature is unlocked free, no card.
Browser free tools vs desktop paid installs
Browser / free-first tools win when volunteers design on a phone between classes. Desktop paid tools still win for deep offline editing and legacy file import. Choose what your team opens weekly — then check BS tables and PDF roles. More on this split: best UK software guide.
How to decide in fifteen minutes
- Open a free designer and rebuild last week’s double.
- Switch standard to British Showjumping or FEI and see what validation catches (FEI vs BS guide · BS course design lander).
- Export a PDF pack — is a watermark acceptable for your next show?
- Only then test 3D/AR or clean PDF if those are real weekly needs.
- Use the stride calculator for a single related distance without building a full course.
Open the free designer
If free covers your next club night:
Open the free show jumping course designer →
No card required. Set the standard to British Showjumping when you design UK club tracks.
Next steps
- British Showjumping course design software — UK club BS checks
- Product overview: show jumping course design software
- Course plans: show jumping course plan PDF
- Step-by-step: UK course design guide
- Distances: show jumping distances explained · stride calculator how-to
Use free when free is enough for a club track and a builder plan. Pay when a paid feature removes a weekly cost — rebuild time, unclear plans, or client walk-throughs — not because a trial countdown expired.
